Smart robots will help maintain the world's largest FAST radio telescope (photos)

Several "smart" robots will help maintain the world's largest radio telescope FAST (Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope) with a diameter of 500 meters. The Chinese authorities said they have already selected and approved robots for this responsible task.

According to Space.com, the essence of the work of the robots will be to assess the condition of the various components of the telescope. They will check the cables and pulleys carrying the receiving cabin, as well as automate the maintenance of laser targets and drives on the reflector. These robots will also be responsible for radio interference monitoring and maintenance of the 30-ton receiver cabin.

Since the cabin is located 140 meters above the dish, its maintenance is not an easy task. One of the key tasks of the robots will be to replace special sensors in the telescope that transmit radio signals to the receiver. These sensors are built into the aluminum reflectors that make up the telescope's reflector, and replacing them manually by humans can be problematic due to their heavy weight, as well as the large diameter of the dish. The use of robots will reduce the risk of damage.

The experts emphasize that keeping the telescope operational is a difficult task that requires interrupting the data collection process. However, demand for the use of this telescope remains high, especially since it was opened to international researchers in 2020. The introduction of robots will help improve the safety of the telescope and extend its service life, which in turn will increase the efficiency of scientific observations and provide more valuable data.

Note that FAST is located in Guizhou Province in southwest China and covers an area equivalent to 30 football fields. This radio telescope, launched in 2016, has already made important scientific discoveries, including the discovery of hundreds of new pulsars. Its importance has become even more significant since the closure of the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico at the end of 2020.